Transition Systems Change in Florida: From State Policy to Grassroots Transition Systems Change in Florida: From State Policy to Grassroots Nila Benito.

Transition Systems Change in Florida:Transition Systems Change in Florida: From State Policy to GrassrootsFrom State Policy to Grassroots

Nila Benito [email protected] Burton [email protected] Redmon [email protected] Sorrell [email protected] Crum [email protected]

2002 Florida Outcomes2002 Florida Outcomes 55% of students with significant disabilities exited school

with no diploma or certificate of completion for school year 2002-2003, according to the Florida Department of Education Data Warehouse.

Only 12% of all students with significant disabilities were enrolled in post secondary programs according to 2002 Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program (FETPIP) surveys.

  Only 17.5% of students with significant disabilities were

employed after exiting secondary schools with average quarterly earnings of approximately $3,700 according to 2002 FETPIP surveys.

Systems Change Elements Systems Change Elements for Success for Success (10 year process)(10 year process)

1. Governance - what are the laws and policies in place? what are those that need to be changed/amended or new ones created?

2. Infrastructure Reforms - current agency or systems that is in place to support change or is the system/bureaucracy so disjointed and unsupported that the might need to change the infrastructure to support implementation?

3. Accountability - who is actual responsible held accountable? and who has the authority to make change happen? 

4. Financing - what funding support is out there? (i.e. are segregated settings better funded at school - on the waiver - in VR?).  what is the economic impact? (legislators want to know this!) what data is collection to support budget decisions?

5. Capacity Building – what programs are in place to give people, practitioners, families, and self advocates the skills and support they need regarding the implementation of evidence based inclusion practices with fidelity.

Partners In Transition began 7 years ago with the goal of creating system change around the post school outcomes of youth with disabilities. Today Partners In Transition has developed the Florida Strategic Plan on Transition, which defines how state agencies, families, youth, state and local government programs and society can reach more young Floridians with disabilities with a message of hope and the promise of independence in their education, at work and in life.

Collaborative PartnersCollaborative Partners

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc.Florida Department of Children and FamiliesDepartment of Children’s Mental HealthAgency for Person with Disabilities Florida Department of Health: Children’s Medical ServicesFlorida Inclusion Network Division of Vocational RehabilitationAgency for Workforce InnovationFlorida Protection & Advocacy CenterThe Able TrustADA Working GroupFamily Network on Disabilities

InitialInitial

Collaborative PartnersCollaborative Partners

•Highest expectations for all youth, including youth with disabilities,

•Full participation through self-determination, informed choice, and participation in decision making,

•Independent living including long-term supports &services,

•Transition planning is individualized and person-driven and

•Economic self sufficiency, including through competitive employment, with any support that is needed, is everyone’s life goal.

Values and PrinciplesValues and Principles

The creation of a statewide transition services strategic plan, based on national evidenced based research and best practices, of what all youth need and additional supports youth with disabilities may

need to guide policymakers and practitioners in systematically addressing the major challenges and

critical issues regarding transition services in the State of Florida.

Purpose and MissionPurpose and Mission

National Transition Guideposts for SuccessNational Transition Guideposts for Success

1. SCHOOL-BASED PREPARATORY EXPERIENCES1. SCHOOL-BASED PREPARATORY EXPERIENCES: : All youth need to participate in educational programs grounded in standards, clear performance expectations and graduation exit options based upon meaningful, accurate, and relevant indicators of student learning and skills. i.e. i.e. Quality academic & vocational programs.Quality academic & vocational programs.

2. CAREER PREPARATION & CAREER PREPARATION & WORK BASED LEARNINGWORK BASED LEARNING: : All to make informed choices about careers. These experiences can be provided during the school day, through after-school programs and will require collaborations with other organizations.

National Transition Guideposts for Success

3. YOUTH DEVELOPMENT & LEADERSHIP:YOUTH DEVELOPMENT & LEADERSHIP: Supports youth need in order to control and direct their own lives based on informed decisions. i.e. Exposure to Exposure to mentors, role models, and the Youth Leadership Forum.mentors, role models, and the Youth Leadership Forum.

4. CONNECTING ACTIVITIES:4. CONNECTING ACTIVITIES: All youth need connections and linkages for effective transition. i.e. health services; transportation; tutoring, personal assistance services, including attendants, readers, interpreters, transportation, transportation, physical and mental health, benefits planning, and physical and mental health, benefits planning, and economic futures planning.economic futures planning.

5. FAMILY INVOLVEMENT:5. FAMILY INVOLVEMENT: Access to training and information about transition and Access to training and information about transition and evidence based practices.evidence based practices.

Plan DevelopmentPlan Development

5 Strategic Plan Work Groups

Cross representative

Identify and Address Gaps

Goals

Strategies

Benchmarks

Evaluate the Need for Additional Expertise in the Planning Process

Sample Statewide PlanSample Statewide PlanGoalsGoals

Career Preparatory Experiences Career Preparatory Experiences Youth are provided with career awareness, exploration, and preparatory activities in school-based and community-based settings.

Youth Development and Youth Leadership Youth Development and Youth Leadership Youth demonstrate the ability to make informed decisions for themselves.

Schooling Schooling

Youth have equitable access to a full range of academic and non-academic courses and programs of study.

Sample Sample Statewide Plan GoalsStatewide Plan Goals

Family InvolvementFamily InvolvementA comprehensive statewide system for disseminating information, training, and resources about effective transition practices is in place.

Connecting ActivitiesConnecting Activities

All youth and young adults have quality, affordable health All youth and young adults have quality, affordable health insurance.insurance.

More Collaborative PartnersMore Collaborative Partners School District Representation

Bay

Brevard County

Broward County

Citrus

Collier

DeSoto

Duval

Flagler

Gadsden

Glades

Hendry

Hernando

Hillsborough

Holmes

Lee

Leon

Levy

Manatee

Marion County

Miami/Dade

Monroe

Nassau

Orange

Osceola

Palm Beach

Pasco

Pinellas

Polk

Taylor

Sarasota

Volusia

Wakulla

Walton

Florida School Health Association

Florida Commission for Transportation Disadvantaged

Florida Public Transit Association

Florida Parks & Recreation Association

United Way

Gulf Coast Down Syndrome Association

Families

Self-Advocates

More Collaborative More Collaborative PartnersPartners

Implementation of Statewide Plan Annual Summit 33 Cross-Stakeholder Teams Needs Assessment Ongoing Training, Technical Assistance, Coaching and Support

Priority Needs for County TeamsPriority Needs for County Teams

Meeting Facilitation Completion of County Plan & Consolidation of Activities

Assessment & Career Planning

Individualized Vocational Exploration Options

Representational Portfolios

Self-Determination

Transportation

www.partnersintransition.org

The Governor defined the BRTF charge as aligning resources and eliminating all barriers in the way of:

Expanding and improving inclusive community living options for individuals with developmental disabilities;

Coordinating the provision of effective transition services statewide for students with developmental disabilities; and

Expanding and improving competitive, integrated employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities.

High level agency representation, families, and self-advocates.

Met monthly for 6 months.

Each of the monthly 2 day meetings focus on a specific topic.

12 Public Forums around the state, August-November 2004.

86 Recommendations Most important recommendation was to

create the Blue Ribbon Implementation Working Group to implement the 86 report recommendations.

Develop an A + Transition Plan

SB1278: Creates the Interagency Services Committee for Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities within the Agency for Persons with Disabilities.

Legislation Passed (ISC)Legislation Passed (ISC)

The work of Partners In Transition and the Blue Ribbon Implementation Working Group received support at a the federal level in FALL 2005 from the National Governor’s Association. Florida was 1 of 6 states accepted to participate in a policy academy focused on developing public policy that improving outcomes for young adults with disabilities and encompasses the crucial areas of customized employment, access to healthcare, housing, schooling, lifelong learning, transportation, community participation, and inclusion.

National Governor’s Association National Governor’s Association Policy AcademyPolicy Academy

These ongoing initiatives are linked by agency and individual members and the common:

VISION OF: All individuals, with and without disabilities, live, learn, work, and participate

together in all life experiences.and the

PRIORITY GOALS OF: Goal 1: Florida youth and young adults with disabilities participate in work

experiences and opportunities that ultimately lead to a living wage, work related skills development, income and benefits potential, and asset accumulation.

Goal 2: Florida youth and young adults with disabilities participate and demonstrate success in post-secondary educational opportunities and/or other employment related opportunities.

COMMON LINKCOMMON LINK

Outcomes for StudentsOutcomes for Students

Discovering Personal Genius (Marc Gold & Associates)

School Districts: (Brevard, Dade, Escambia, Hillsborough, Palm Beach, Pasco and Polk Counties)

Implementation

Capacity Building

FL Department of Education/Division of Vocational Rehabilitation:

Established as a Service

Eligibility Determination

State Level Efforts – Reaching the PersonState Level Efforts – Reaching the PersonCustomized Employment: SCIETTCustomized Employment: SCIETT

Supported, Competitive, Integrated Employment Training Team:

Community Teams of Employment Stakeholders (6)

Job Seekers

Families

School Districts

Community Rehabilitation Providers

State Agencies

Intensive training sessions with follow-up technical assistance

• Implementation

• Capacity Building

State Level Efforts – Reaching the PersonState Level Efforts – Reaching the PersonCustomized Employment: METTACustomized Employment: METTA

Micro-Enterprise Training & Technical Assistance and the new Center for Self-Employment

Entrepreneurs

Business Design Teams

Business Concept Development

Market Analysis

Benefits Analysis

Business Plan Development

Capacity Building

State Level Efforts – Reaching the PersonState Level Efforts – Reaching the Person

Roddie & his VR Counselor

Roddie with his newly purchased vending

machines

Roddie’s Vending Service

Future DirectionsFuture Directions

New Governor

Partners In Transition– 2007 Summit– Ongoing Training & Technical Assistance

? Q & A?